5 Ways to Kill Your App Before It Ever Launches

Great app design is both a science and an art, and getting it just right can be one of the most challenging tasks in the world. Most app designers have the enthusiasm to turn these challenges into positives, but there are some areas where app designers can fall into common traps. These five are some of the most common ways that app designers all but guarantee that their app won’t be a success. Study them carefully and you’ll be able to avoid that fate and release your app to rave success.

Poor UX

If there is a cardinal sin in the world of app design, it’s poor UX. Users need visual clues and a clear path to navigate through and use your app. If the elements of the app are cluttered, or if they aren’t familiar enough to be useful right away, then users won’t stick around for long. A clean, functional, interactive UX is what is needed to keep users around. Additionally, consider UX features like letting users come back to the same task even if they click away, or reducing interruptions to keep users in the flow.

Feature Overload

For very enthusiastic app designers, it is so tempting to build in as many features as possible. Many designers want their app to the be the one-stop answer to all a user’s needs or concerns. It’s better to focus on addressing your market’s key concerns, and doing that extremely well, than offering them a slew of features they may not need or want. Remember that you can always add features later, or release companion apps for other features.

Releasing to Multiple Platforms Right Away

It may sound smart on the surface to design your app for both iOS and Android right away, but the problem here is that by releasing both versions right away, you create a ton of work for yourself fixing bugs and issues on both versions in the future. It’s better to release one, and then tweak the second based on the initial revisions that were necessary for the first.

Starting Without a Flow Chart

To ensure that your UX is user-friendly, that your app knows its exact purpose, and that you or your design team doesn’t get sidetracked with mundane details, a flow chart is a necessary tool. You can’t skip this step, or you won’t be able to consider the big picture very clearly.

Ignoring the Onboarding Process

Did you know that over 60% of apps are never used again after being downloaded? One big reason for that is a poor onboarding experience. Your app may not necessarily require one, but if you can create a very positive first impression with a great onboarding experience, you’ll have a leg up over all the competition. Keep it simple, but ensure that all the necessary information is available, such as an easy account set up process, and navigation to the main flow of movement through the app.